KUCHING: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri has joined other political leaders here in applauding the Sarawak government’s decision to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).
Nancy, who sent all her children to Chinese schools for their primary education, said she lauded Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s decision to recognise the UEC.
“The recognition will motivate students to pursue their studies at primary schools using Mandarin as the medium of instruction, regardless of their race,” she said here yesterday.
On Monday, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian announced that the state would be the first and only state in Malaysia to recognise the UEC as a qualification for entry into its civil service.
Party secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew said the Chinese community and educators in Sarawak were very happy and extremely grateful to the Chief Minister.
Deputy Education Minister Chong Sin Woon earlier said the move was possible because Dong Zong, the Chinese education group responsible for setting the UEC, was willing to accept a compromise.
Chong praised Dong Zong’s leadership for their willingness to accept the Education Ministry’s condition that all UEC graduates must receive a credit in SPM Bahasa Malaysia before being eligible to enrol in a public university.
The UEC is a standardised test for Chinese independent high school students organised by Dong Zong since 1975.
This recognition allows UEC graduates with a credit in SPM Bahasa Malaysia to apply for government jobs, obtain Yayasan Sarawak loans and scholarships, apply to study at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak as well as at other colleges pending agreement on technical aspects. — Bernama
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